Profiles of social isolation and loneliness as moderators of the longitudinal association between uncorrected hearing impairment and cognitive aging

Article Article scientifique Article Profiles of social isolation and loneliness as moderators of the longitudinal association between uncorrected hearing impairment and cognitive aging eng 2025-07-09 author Lampraki Charikleia 0000-0003-4565-7498 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. charikleia.lampraki@unige.ch.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. charikleia.lampraki@unige.ch.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. charikleia.lampraki@unige.ch. 406111 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités (CIGE) author Zuber Sascha 0000-0001-9464-7048 Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 690540 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités (CIGE) author Turoman Nora 0000-0003-2655-8259 Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. 948649 author Joly-Burra Emilie 0000-0001-7381-1566 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 669663 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités (CIGE) author Mack Melanie 0000-0002-5512-0339 Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 405806 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités (CIGE) author Laera Gianvito 0000-0002-0589-7334 Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland.,University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Geneva School of Health Sciences, Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva, Switzerland. 914377 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Scarampi Chiara Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 956117 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités (CIGE) author Rostekova Adriana Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 413640 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Kliegel Matthias Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 761733 Section de psychologie (PSICO) author Ihle Andreas Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center of Expertise in Life Course Research LIVES, Geneva, Switzerland. 774399 Section de psychologie (PSICO) 10.1038/s44271-025-00277-8 40634600 2731-9121 PMC12240851 https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00277-8 Hearing impairment affects a growing number of older adults and is linked to cognitive decline. This study investigated whether profiles of social isolation and loneliness (e.g., non-isolated but lonely) moderate the association between hearing impairment and cognition over time across domains. Using longitudinal data from waves 1-9 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we analysed 33,741 individuals (Mage = 61.4, SD = 8.6) using multilevel models accounting for both inter-and intra-individual variability. Results showed that both higher levels and worsening self-reported hearing impairment were associated with lower cognitive performance and steeper decline in episodic memory (immediate and delayed recall) and executive functioning (verbal fluency). Notably, profiles combining social isolation and/or loneliness were linked to lower cognitive performance across domains. Furthermore, for the "non-isolated but lonely" profile hearing impairment was more strongly and negatively associated with episodic memory decline compared to the non-isolated and not lonely profiles. A separate multivariate model confirmed that the moderating role of social isolation and loneliness profiles differed across cognitive domains. Specifically, among individuals in the non-isolated but lonely group, the negative association between hearing impairment and cognition was strongest for episodic memory compared to executive functions. These findings underscore the importance of considering both sensory and psychosocial factors in cognitive aging. Addressing hearing impairment alongside loneliness-even in socially integrated individuals-may be crucial for promoting cognitive health in later life. Dewey 150 Dewey 618.97 Swiss National Science Foundation NCCR LIVES: Overcoming vulnerability - life course perspectives (phase III) 185901 CH 108 Section de psychologie 71 14 Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités 0D6 false 1282 Centre LIVES Communications psychology 3 1 5c62f3a1-387e-4d52-aac8-0ba4b51b1df5 Article (Published version) Public Article_scientifique_from_unpaywall.pdf 823190 application/pdf CC BY cb1593141b7f74960a28d1c2b4240fbc5e00f1e5799d1b805f0cdb9c7eb4af19 openAccess Faculté de psychologie et des sciences de l'éducation / Section de psychologie Centres et instituts / Centre interfacultaire de gérontologie et d'études des vulnérabilités

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